How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It - James Wesley Rawles [7]
The folks who read my blog, SurvivalBlog.com, regularly refer to themselves as Rawlesian survivalists. To fully understand Rawlesian survivalism, it is important to distinguish it from the numerous quasi-survivalist schools of thought. Some pundits overemphasize primitive wilderness and outdoor survival, while others overemphasize high-tech gadgets. Still others dismiss any planning for self-defense. And many don’t give any thought to charity and assisting your neighbors in the aftermath of a disaster. The following is a general summary of my survivalist philosophy, in addition to the tenets I’ve already discussed:
Lightly Populated Areas Are Safer Than High-Density Areas
With a few exceptions, lower population means fewer problems. WTSHTF, there will be a mass exodus from the cities. Think of it as an army that is spreading out across a battlefield: The wider they are spread, the less effective they are. The inverse-square law hasn’t been repealed.
Show Restraint, But Always Have Recourse to Lethal Force
My father often told me, “It is better to have a gun and not need it than to need a gun and not have it.” I urge readers to use less than lethal means when safe and practicable, but at times there is not a satisfactory substitute for well-aimed lead going down range at high velocity.
There Is Strength in Numbers
Rugged individualism is all well and good, but it takes more than one man to defend a retreat. Effective defense necessitates having at least two families to provide 24/7 perimeter security. But of course every individual added means having another mouth to feed. Unless you have an unlimited budget and an infinite larder, you will need to strike a balance when deciding the size of a retreat group.
There Are Moral Absolutes
The foundational morality of the civilized world is best summarized in the Ten Commandments. Moral relativism and secular humanism are slippery slopes. The terminal moraine at the base of these slopes is a rubble pile consisting of either despotism and pillage, or anarchy and the depths of depravity. I believe that it takes both faith and friends to survive perilous times.
Racism Ignores Reason
People should be judged as individuals. Anyone who makes blanket statements about other races is ignorant of the fact that there are both good and bad individuals in all groups.
Skills Beat Gadgets and Practicality Beats Style
The modern world is full of pundits, poseurs, and mall ninjas. Preparedness is not just about accumulating a pile of stuff. You need practical skills, and those come only with study, training, and practice. Any armchair survivalist with a credit card can buy a set of stylish camouflage fatigues and an “M4gery” carbine encrusted with umpteen accessories. Style points should not be mistaken for genuine skills and practicality.
Plentiful Water and Good Soil Are Crucial
Modern mechanized farming, electrically pumped irrigation, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides can make deserts bloom. But when the grid goes down, deserts and marginal farmland will revert to their natural states. The most viable places to survive in the midst of a long-term societal collapse will be those with reliable summer rains and rich topsoil.
Tangibles Trump Conceptuals
Modern fiat currencies are generally accepted, but have essentially no backing. Because they are largely a by-product of interest-bearing debt, modern currencies are destined for inflation. In the long run, inflation dooms fiat currencies to collapse. The majority of your assets should be invested in productive farmland and other tangibles such as useful hand tools. After you have your key logistics squared away, anything extra should be invested in silver and gold.
Governments Tend to Expand Their Power to the Point That They Do Harm
In SurvivalBlog, I often warn of the insidious tyranny of the